A legal affair

Rhea Sydney, second year LLB student, National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi,  on the importance of an internship in shaping your legal career 

Law, as a subject, is vast and dynamic, as new laws are enacted and old laws are repealed constantly. It is the duty of every lawyer to be updated with every change brought forth in almost every field. It is said that the knowledge and skill required to be a lawyer is not something that can be taught in classrooms, but one gathers it through experience. And this is where internships in a good law firm play a key role.

I was lucky to do a month long internship at the Chennai office of King & Partridge, one of the oldest full-service law firms in India. Interning at a law firm gives you first-hand experience with how a lawyer needs to think, what to expect at the court, how to brief a client and many other skills that can be learnt only with experience. It basically prepares you for the life of a lawyer. 

Internships play a vital role in making you aware of the work environment like the courts, law firms, NGO’s etc. It gives you an added advantage to compete in the current job markets. These internship programmes act as a supplement to the legal education provided in any law school. It also increases your chance of getting recruited as most employers look for work experience. So the best way for law students to prepare for their future is to take advantage of internship opportunities, for it helps in building up your resume and perform well in placement interviews.

My internship at King & Partridge taught me many things which I would otherwise have been ignorant about. I was given access to case files of ongoing cases and have been asked to form my opinion about each case. I am impressed by the amount of knowledge that the lawyers here have acquired. Every lawyer including the senior partner put in many hours in order to finish their urgent work.  I have also been provided with the opportunity to visit the Madras High court, which is one of the oldest High Courts in the country. The stunning architecture renders any first timer speechless. I have been told again and again that new comers often get lost in that beautiful and impressive building.